The Irish standard., 1887-12-24
CHRISTMAS in IRELAND.
The Fervor, Joy and Unity With
Which the Day is OBJ.
served in Erin.
THE IMPRESSIVE MIDNIGHT MASS
How the People "Bury the Wren," Which
Means Night Of Merry
Making,

Means a Night Of Merry
Making.
In no land under the heaven is Christ.
mas celebrated with such feryor, JOY
and unity as in Ireland. Let every
other day in the year witness a pail of
mystery hanging over the land, on this
great day it is lifted, and the heavenly
anthem Peace on earth to men Of
good will" brings Joy and gladness to
al. hearts,
The religious ceremony with which
the festival is observed is most impos-
ing.
1t is o. custom in most Catholic fami-
lies to sit up till midnight OH Christmas
Eve. in order to jcln in the devotious
st that hour.
We agree with Gerald Griffin that
sfew ceremonies OF religion have ~
more splendid and imposing effect than
the morning Mass. which, in cities, ~
celebrated soon after the hour alluded
to, and long before daybreak." On this
eve q candle, called the Christmas light,
(previously hlessed) is lighted aG SUN
set Griffith alluded TO IL:
''The Christmas light is burning bright
In many village pane,
And many q cortnyc rngs Tonight
With 1oany a uierry s,rnin."
1t is considered 4 KIND Ut inpioty to
touch, TO suutK, or to use this Christ
mas light for aught save religious
purposes after. On Christmas day t,,e
Irish people exchange Christmas boxes
any gift being teImtd a box but de-
rlying the title from little boxes Of
turned wood stained red, which are
given to young people and dependants
# with coin to rattle In it.
.'Gladly the boy, with Christmas box in hand,
Throughout the town his devious route pur-
sues,
AM, al hls masters customers imptores
The yearly mite; often his cash ne shakes,
The which pe1chance OF coppers few consists,
4 Whose ttulccc jingle ills his little so1l with
joy
The houses are decked with holly
branches previously WOyeu with ivy
leaves The holly has come down To us
from the yenlota,t past as fayurlte
among the evergreeus, and as belng al
layurlcA!ly typical uf the Redeeiner's
mission The following rs quoted from
ALI old bro;,lishre5 OF Il Century aud a
halt ago.
''rhe holly ana the ivy.
Now are b,:a we'll grown: ~.
OF ali the trees th.tt grow in wood
The holly ocA,H tho Crown
s.,tns holly hears II blossom
AS white Us III. lily Hover
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
10 bc n,1r sweet saviour.
1.-THE huiiy bears a berry
Asred asauy blood--
and Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
TO do poor sinrers good.
..The holly bears Il pricke
AS sharp as auy tuorn,
And Mary Dure sweet Jesus Chriss
On holy Christmas nOrn.'
All the rela i,ves Ut All irish family
assemble at the house OF the ''head." I" or
sometimes as that OF che ''mOst Well-to
do" member, aud keep up the time with
wit and wassaii, congratulations on the
success of the year, and words Of COM
fort to those who may have fallen in
fortune; while the young exhibit their
gifts and boxes sing, dance and
amuse themselves with tb5lr healthy
hllarity.1 Iuextr,cably mingled with
the delight of the Irish home and heart
as such and every other festival, are
thoughts and feelings which have in
spired one OF the most beautiful and
touching of modern ballads by Martin
h %McDernott, of which the opening will
be sufficiently suggestive:
..When round the festive Christmas, or by the
Christmas hearth,
That glorious mingled drought is poured
wine, melody and mir,h!
+ When friends long absent tell, loW-toned thcir
& joys aud sorrows o'er
And hands grasp hands and eyeiids I'LL, and
lips meet lips orce more.
Oh! in that hour 'twere kindly done. some
woman's voice would say,
Forget not those who're sad to-night-po
# x. exiles, far away"
On the day succeeding Christi mas, ST..
Stephens day, numbers proceed from
house to house soliciting contributions
towards the" burying of the wren in
fact, the geieing up of the merry max
ing at night time. They carry a wren
i ina rustic wicker cage, ora branch Of
pine decked with ribbons, and sing
saw hi